To The Beginning
by Ephemeral Sanity
Summary: What would you do for a wish? Betray? Fight? Kill? Would you cry for those that were gone? Every hundred years, the Holy Grail War occurs. Every hundred years, the Heroic Spirits are summoned to battle to the death in a series of battles, both mental and physical. But what is the price both master and servant must pay for their dearest wish? ElsAi! Chara! Reven! EleRen! Are decided
1. Summoning of the Servants

**To The Beginning**

**Summoning of the Servants**

* * *

"_Swallow down your hesitation.  
What is it that you wish for?  
On the path of yearning as greedy as this,  
Will there be a transient tomorrow?"_

_-Kalafina_

* * *

The day was picturesque, the perfect picture of winter. The golden sun blazed in the eggshell blue sky, making the crystalline white blanket glitter as the tepid rays played with the frigid diamonds. The stark ebon trunks stood tall and proud, despite the weight of the snow crowns. Death-hue black stems snaked their way up the trellises, the sharp thorns glistening as a single bead of dove-feather white lied on the very tip.

All was still, no stormy winds brought forth a tempest of icy fury, and no playful breeze shook the powdery snow off the solemn Black Forest Pines. It was like the estate had been claimed by the Ice Queen and frozen in time, preserved until she came back. But inside the chateau it was warm and life was bustling as the servants prepared for the arrival of Elesis Sieghart. Her parents were bringing her back from the prestigious boarding school she was attending and much to Elsword's immense displeasure; they didn't even think to tell him of such a monumental event until yesterday. The announcement proclaiming this, had occurred over a savory plate of Venison roast and foie grass, and resulted in Elsword throwing his gold-rimmed porcelain plate on the ground, causing it to shatter into a million pieces.

Just like his mind.

It had been five years since he had last seen his older sister, and the experience had burned him, both figuratively and literally. She was a harsh, temperamental person, with military-style discipline. Needless to say, the tenacious redhead was not looking forward to seeing his bellicose sister. As he looked out the frosted window, he could see his own distorted reflection being mirrored back at him; large crimson eyes apprehensive and skin deathly pale. Wallowing in his misery, a faint beep followed by a gentle buzzing sensation snapped Elsword out of his morbid train of thoughts. With an irritated sigh he reached into the pocket of his dressy black slacks for his phone.

If it was one of those girls he was dating he was going to-

Yup, it was.

With a disgusted expression, Elsword threw his phone on the couch and collapsed to his knees on the plush Oriental rug. He TOLD them NOT to ATTEMPT to contact him due to the events that were occurring today. What sick joke was this? Why were his parents making him compete in the Holy Grail War? Elsword's eyelids fluttered shut as the memories of him lounging lazily on the worn-leather couch in the library in front of the crackling hearth floated up to the surface. He remembered sitting next to his sister and pretending to be disinterested as their parents regaled the scarlet-haired siblings with illusory tales of heroic acts and magic, all centralizing around the event known as "The Holy Grail War". Of course, Elsword had always assumed until recently that it was all fantasy and no fact. Yet it was… and now he was being forced into partaking of those legends. To Elsword, some things were better off as fairytales.

The thunderous sound of the imposing oak doors being thrown open, rammed into Elsword's train of thoughts, sending them flying off to the side. With a sense of impending doom building in his stomach, Elsword swallowed down the knotty lump that was forming in the back of his throat. Foreboding was heavy as Elsword shuffled down the sweeping marble banister. The servants were gathered around, chattering with each other in hissing whispers that were rich in anxiety, pointing at the person who had just arrived.

She was a comely young woman with crimson eyes and thick, claret-hued hair. She was donning a sleeveless white turtleneck and a pleated red skirt that came down to the midway point of her thighs. With a fire in her eyes and a terse frown on her lips, she radiated a powerful and dangerous aura. With a despondent sigh, Elsword tugged dejectedly on the shock of vivid crimson that obscured his eye.

"What are you doing standing around like that Elsword? Don't you have anything to do?" Elesis snapped brusquely and shot Elsword a disapproving glare. Elsword snorted in response to the crimsonette's enquiry. Way to start off a supposed "mutual" alliance, she didn't even bother with a hello.

"Well?!" Elesis's voice rose a couple bars higher in volume and vehemence. With an indifferent air, Elsword flexed his shoulders. Taking it as an act of disrespect, Elesis let out a low, derisive growl and stormed over to where Elsword was standing. The poor soul only had a second for his eyes to widen before grabbing his low-hanging ponytail and dragging him away.

"Let's get ready you idiot. This is _serious_." The crimsonette stated calmly, managing to make herself heard over the vehement stream of curses spewing from Elsword's mouth.

* * *

With each hasty footstep the snow crunched faintly underneath Aisha's feet. In the dead silence of the winter day, to her it was as loud as a trumpet's blaring. Her black cloak fluttered behind her as she ran, nimbly dodging all the low-hanging branches. With each duck of her head or swerve of her body, the branches of the solemn pines swayed and dumped a powdery load of snow on the ground.

She couldn't get caught… This was her once chance to be free of her family.

_I'm not going to blow it, especially now!_

Those were her sole thoughts as she made her way into the clearing of the forest, far away from her family's estate.

Once she had reached the clearing, she collapsed to the ground heaving large, labored breaths. Her hands rose to clutch at her heart, causing the valuable relic she had filched from the family's treasury to fall to the ground, the black cloth it was swaddled in falling off and revealing a cracked black sheath with a streak of ruby red nestled between the swirling lines.

"You run way too fast…" A husky voice whined. Startled, Aisha's head shot up and she shot several agitated glances around the clearing. Nobody was there, just the endless expanse of white snow punctuated by the sparse spruces. A large lump swelled up in her throat and her mouth became as dry as cotton.

"Who's there?!" Aisha barked and swiftly rose to her feet, her sharp violet eyes darting back and forth as she frenetically searched for the intruder.

"Over here you idiot!" The same voice whispered harshly. Following the voice, Aisha glanced to her left and spotted a rotund bat whose belly and wings were shaded a deep eggplant. Staring straight into his sulfuric yellow eyes, the purplenette let out an exasperated sigh and placed a grateful hand over her frantically beating heart.

"Don't do that! You scared me! I thought you were one of my family members or their retainers!" She hissed petulantly, but still sounding relieved all the same. The bat sighed and fluttered over, perching on the garishly hued mop of violet.

"You're playing a dangerous game here…" The bat drawled lazily.

Aisha grimaced and pursed her lips into a thin line. "I know that Angkor." She replied curtly and gathered the sword sheath that had fallen to the ground. Angkor huffed with a cold indifference and continued on. "Do you know the risks? What would happen if your older sister Speka caught you?" At those words, Aisha's teeth sliced her tongue and with one deft motion, the purplenette yanked Angkor off her head and chucked him into a tree trunk.

"I KNOW THE RISKS DAMMIT! BUT I CAN'T LIVE LIKE THIS ANYMORE!" She screamed loudly, her vehement cries reaching the heavens and causing a sleepy cardinal to retreat from his perch with a start. Hearing her frustrations echo throughout the clearing, Aisha took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. "It's a dangerous game I'm playing here, taking the catalyst and using it as my own to participate in the Grail War… but I have to do it! I WILL obtain the Holy Grail and free myself from my family!" She ranted and started to brush the snow off the ground, revealing a lifeless patch of brown.

"I will win… I will win… I will win… I WILL win…" the purplenette continued to rant as she continued to make a clearing for the summoning ritual. Angkor regained his senses and fluttered over to her as she made the necessary preparations, the whole time he watched her with a worried expression.

* * *

To Rena, the hospital was unnaturally still, the baleful silence only being broken by the morbid beeping of the life support machines. Yet now, everything was a chaotic whirlwind of noise and powder blue as the doctors pressed the dull ebon electrodes against a woman's chest as that attempted to revive her. Watching the pandemonium unfold and the normally rhythmic beeping of the machines turn into an anarchic symphony was Rena herself. Her adoptive mother, the one who took her in after the Sanderian Civil War had left her orphaned. She was the one who nurtured Rena and gave her a home and loved her as if she was her own.

And now that same woman was dying before Rena's eyes.

"Try again!" The head doctor cried, his black-rimmed glasses glinting coldly in the harsh sunlight streaming in through the glassy window. The other doctors nodded their heads and raised the paddles. "Ok! On the count of five!"

"Five… four… three… two … one!"

A harsh buzzing noise pierced the strident screaming of the machines, and to Rena's sensitive nose, just the faintest whiff of electricity. A piercing shriek filled the room, forcing Rena to clamp her delicate hands over her gracefully pointed ears.

For a nerve-wracking second there was silence…

And then the slow steady beeping of her mom's heartbeat filled the room. "Good job boys." The head doctor congratulated the rest of the doctors and motioned for them to leave the room. Though the bottom of his face was obscured by a powder blue mask, Rena could see the concern in the doctor's face. Shooting an apprehensive glance down at his clipboard, he then made his way over to Rena.

"Rena Avaron, correct?" The doctor enquired and lowered his glasses. Rena nodded hastily and brushed her fingers through her silken blonde hair.

"Yes, that is me." She replied, her graceful voice was tremulous, indicating the massive panic attack she had just gone through.

The doctor's stormy grey eyes narrowed before he nodded his head. "Is Mr. Alex Avaron here?" He asked, his voice a husky whisper. Rena's delicate mouth turned down into a bitter frown and she shook her head, a disgusted look twisting her normally delicate features.

"No he's not… he had to attend a stockbrokers meeting in Hamel." She said, a contemptuous edge creeping into her stoic tone. The doctor gave the blonde a sympathetic look before setting his clipboard down on the austere faux wooden dresser that was next to the hospital bedside.

"Well… I'm afraid…" He trailed nervously. Seeing Rena's distressed expression he averted his gaze.

"What?!" Rena exclaimed, correctly interpreting the doctor's words as bad news. Seeing the elven girl's wretched expression only made it harder for the doctor to share the unfortunate news. Yet he had to do so anyways…

"I'm sorry… but the white blood cell count has dropped drastically."

Rena's heart stopped and she felt her soul wrench itself free of her body, sending her spiraling through the roof and into the heavens.

"And…?" She whispered, though it was not her whispering, it was her body's automatic response. Rena was gone, what was left was an empty shell that could still speak and see.

"And there's… I'm sorry… but there's an infection and without the white blood cells to fend it off… Well, quite frankly only a miracle could bring her back. Were about to contact your father-"

"_Adoptive _father." Rena corrected with a steely edge. The doctor gulped loudly and let his gaze drift around the room.

"Yes, well you're adoptive father, and more importantly… Mrs. Venta's spouse." Rena's verdant eyes narrowed into suspicious little slits. "Continue…" She said frostily.

"Well… we're about to contact him and give him the decision to pull the plug and take her off all life support and chemotherapy and let her die peacefully." At those words, the blonde elf exploded.

"WHAT!? YOU CAN'T DO THAT! YOU DON'T KNOW THAT MAN! YOU DON'T KNOW HIM AT ALL! HE DOESN'T GIVE A DAMN! ALL HE CARES ABOUT IS WORK! YOU HAVEN'T BEEN AT HOME WHERE HE COMPLAINS ABOUT HOW HIS WIFE IS BEING A BURDEN TO HIM AND UNDERMINING HIS PERFORMANCE AT WORK!" Rena screeched furiously and threw her hands up. Stunned by her fury, the doctor drew back from her, gaping with wide eyes.

"I-I'm s-sorry… b-but y-you must…" The doctor regained his poised composure and gave Rena a steely look, like a parent would give when reprimanding an unruly child.

"I'm sorry, but you must think of your mother. Think of the pain she's going through. So you honestly think she wanted this for herself?" Rena's eyes snapped open wide and she looked up at the doctor with a helpless expression.

"When… when will it happen if he does decide to pull the plug?" Rena whispered, her mouth turned down into a frustrated scowl. Behind his powdery-blue mask, the doctor grimace and a retrospective "hmm" could be heard from him.

"Well…" He trailed, carefully choosing his words. "When will your adoptive father be back from Hamel?" He enquired in a brisk, but courteous tone. The blonde elf regarded him suspiciously, but answered. "He'll be back in a week." She said snippily and stuck her nose up in the air. The doctor nodded and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"In that case, with all the paperwork that will have to be filed and whatnot, if he should decide to pull the plug, it will take at least three weeks, maybe two to enact the decision."

At those words, Rena visibly relaxed. Good… there was still time.

"Ah… thank you very much sir, I'll be taking my leave." She said politely and dipped into a cordial curtsey. The doctor looked at her, very perturbed by her ephemeral burst of anger. Making a quick mental note in his head to be wary of the girl as she acted precisely like a bipolar person, he bobbed his head up and down and gave Rena a brief farewell wave as she left the hospital room, a sweet but venomous smile on her lips.

Two weeks… two weeks to win the Holy Grail War and save her mother…

She would not fail now… she had a plan…

And if two weeks wasn't enough… Well, she'd cross that bridge when she got to it.

* * *

The early afternoon sun illuminated the frost-coated edges window with a glittering haze, creating a glittering pattern of ice crystals. Out on the cobbled streets of Velder, several people cavorted around; their voices bright and merry as they admired the goods that were being hawked by the peddlers and the profligate trifles that were being displayed behind thick panes of glass at the department stores. The playful breezes carried Jack Frost as they danced, nipping at the crowd's noses and their cheeks, making them blush a rosy red and driving them inside, where they sought the warmth of a refreshing cup of mulled cider.

Yet to Raven, the holiday times were painful reminders of what he lost and how utterly unreliable society was. Watching the maudlin people from the window of his gloomy apartment building, his golden eyes were narrowed with antipathy. Those people were the very same people who slandered him and labeled him as a pariah simply because he did his duty and fought honorably during the Sanderian Civil War. They mocked him with unrestrained temerity and ousted him to the dankest outskirts of society.

Even his best friend betrayed him and gave an unruly mob of drunkards his location in exchange for his own safety. Though Raven had not been home, as he decided to treat his wonderful fiancée to a scrumptious home-cooked meal, she had been at his place and had suffered the mob's wrath in his place.

With a disgusted snort, he withdrew from his perch on a ragged recliner near the window and retreated to the kitchen, where he poured himself a steaming cup of black coffee. Though the smell was a rich, pungent aroma, headed with an earthy undertone and chocolaty overtones, the strong bitterness of the brew coated his mouth with a filmy acrid pall. Against his will, Raven's mind started to drift back to the coroner's report.

Excess damage to the delicate tissue of the sexual organs, indicating assault…

Laceration of the lungs and dismembered limbs…

Blunt force trauma to the head…

Far away in the distance, Raven could hear the sound of glass shattering and he felt a vague stinging sensation in his left hand, something that was absolutely scalding tricked down his left arm.

He couldn't have broken the coffee cup though, because he was carrying a bag of groceries. Yes, he was traveling up the steps singing a light tune to himself as the plastic bags swayed back and forth with each step he took.

_High dive into frozen waves where the past comes back to life  
Fight fear for the selfish pain, it was worth it every time  
Hold still right before we crash 'cause we both know how this ends  
A clock ticks 'til it breaks your glass and I drown in you again_

He sang lightly to himself as he sat down the groceries and reached into his back pocket. He fumbled with the keys for a little bit before discerning the right one and sticking it in the keyhole. "Seris, I'm home!" He trilled blithely and stepped inside. What he saw made him stop cold and all feeling fled his body.

Blood.

It was everywhere…

Delicate limbs…

They sat on the couch like a twisted Halloween toy, devoid of the body they were attached to… Where was Seris? No… did he want to know? The world tottered to the side precariously as the repugnant smell of copper flooded his nostrils. Seeing nothing, his body shambled towards the kitchen, drawn by an invisible force.

"S-Seris…" He whispered weakly, his normally healthy, tanned skin now a sallow shade of sickly white. She was lying on the table, her once vivacious and sparkling eyes dull and swollen. Angry, butcher-bright blobs were all that remained where her limbs should've been. It was Raven's first time seeing her in the nude… and it had to be under these conditions…

"No…" The amber-eyed war vet whispered weakly before he collapsed to the ground, a hot stabbing shooting up his left arm.

When his eyelids fluttered open, he was standing in his kitchen, leaning on the oven for support. There was no blood, no dead Seris, just the cold, empty room, and a puddle of murky-brown coffee. Dammit… he had broken the coffee cup again.

His long, unruly locks of ebon swayed forward as he bent over the collect the sharp shards of shattered ceramic. He kept having those… those flashbacks of those haunting memories… Resulting from the stress he endured from his experiences in the Sanderian War and the brutal murder of his fiancée. Post- traumatic- stress disorder as the doctor named it.

It wouldn't stay this way for long though… With the Holy Grail War, he could change it so he would never have to fight in the War, then Seris would've survived. The faint ghost of Seris floated in the back of Raven's mind, threatening to drag him down again.

Those beautiful green eyes…

Those sinuous tresses of honeyed gold which always managed to smell of key lime pie…

The anguished expression that was on her tear-streaked face as she looked up lifeless at the kitchen ceiling…

The harsh red shade-

_STOP!_

Raven collapsed to his knees and threw his hands over his head, squeezing it as he shoved those memories to the back of his brain. With tremulous gasps, Raven managed to calm himself and he slowly pushed himself off his knees. No… he would not put up with this anymore… He WILL win the Grail War… though finding a legitimate catalyst was a bit tricky and the training he underwent in order to his hone his mage craft was arduous, it was ultimately satisfying as now he was able to be a formidable combatant in the Holy Grail War. Though… this fight… it… should've of been Seris's…

She was the one who was the mage out of the two…

Her family was the one that possessed the arrow tip that would serve as the catalyst to summon the Heroic Spirit…

But now, he had to fight for her…

With a despondent air, Raven slumped lifelessly against the cupboard staring into the distance with dead eyes.

_I will bring you back Seris… that's the least I can do for you…_

* * *

Streaks of light shot through the air, lacerating the wooden forms of the training dummies, making them spin around crazily as a black and white blur weaved in between them with inhuman speed and grace. Watching her was a somber woman with roseate hair and cerise eyes, her powder pink lips turned down into a faint frown.

"Eve! You need more power! You're hardly hitting those things! How are you supposed to win the Grail War when you can't even take out a wooden dummy!?" She cried out, crossing her arms, and rapping her foot against the highly polished granite steps. Responding to those words, Eve stopped streaking around and slowly turned towards the crimson-eyed woman. Her cold emotionless amber eyes met the woman's stern red ones and she drew her lips into a thin frown.

"Fine…Apple." She sighed dispassionately and raised her hands to the heavens.

"Hya!" Eve cried and threw her hands out in front of her, a beam of light shooting out from her palms and passing through a shimmering triangular shield of cobalt blue, setting fire to four of the training dummies.

"ENERGY BURST!" The cold-eyed eve shrieked and conjured an opalescent shield, this one MUCH larger than the former. Electricity shot out of her back, forming crackling wings of energy as a titanic beam of energy erupted from the palm of her hand, searing away everyone's vision and incinerating all the training dummies. All that was left were the smoldering piles of embers that were scattered as a breeze blew through the training ground. With an icy face, void of emotion, Eve stalked over to where Apple was standing, her long silken locks of silvery white flowing out behind her with each step.

"Is that good enough for you?" She snipped brusquely before storming inside the colossal mansion that she called "home". Eve however, viewed it as a "home" in name only. Apple watched the cavernous oaken doors slam shut and then the corners of her lips drew themselves upwards in a smug smile of grim satisfaction.

"That was perfect…"

The crystal chandeliers that dangled from the arched ceiling of the great hall threw gaily dancing shards of light on the polished marble columns. On most days, the hall would be bustling with harried servants as they tended to the needs of the prestigious and ancient Iota family, but now, as requested, everything was dead silent. Apparently, getting rid of most of the servants was supposedly a way of helping Eve focus, but to the silverette, it was more distracting than anything.

Yes to Eve, the insistent twittering of humans was unnecessary, meaningless, and grating, but at least it served as a distraction. Without people, all that was left for Eve was the dark silence that reverberated in her ears, drawing her into the blackest corners of her mind. To Eve, people were a distraction, a lifeline of sorts. Though they were frivolous and agitating, they kept her from drowning in her own frustrations. She could just be frustrated at them.

For without those frustrations…

All that was left was the eerie darkness of absolute silence.

* * *

The graves were stark and plane, nothing more than just lonely hunks of crudely carved granite jutting out of the ground at an oblique angle. Yet they were all that remained of Chung's family, save for his young cousin, Sasha Esperanza who had been caught up in the tragedy of the Hamelian Rebellion. Her family was visiting for their annual courtesy call and the date couldn't have been worse. They had been swept up in all the chaos and executed alongside Chung's family. Those two souls were all that remained of the Hamelian Royal Bloodline.

"Damn that war…" He hissed softly, his cerulean eyes were narrowed in anger but crystalline tears leaked out of the corner of his eyes. Biting his bottom lip, he laid down the poinsettia wreath that Sasha had made for the graves. She would've come with him, but her friend, Anuldran had asked if she wanted to go shopping with her, and though she had politely declined, Chung was adamant about her going. The azure-haired Sasha was his only remaining blood relative, and as such, Chung felt compelled to make sure she lived as happy of a life as possible. She was so young to, even younger than Chung who was still attending High School.

Drawing his lips into a thin line, Chung rose from his knees, his navy blue slacks soaked from the snow. With a distant expression, he looked towards the horizon where the sun was starting to set, the powder blue sky now being splashed with a lurid assortment of colors. To Chung it reminded him of cat vomit, albeit you would've have to be feeding your cat nothing but salmon for a while. The sky was a dusky pink, streaked with shots of orange and the rippling purple clouds reminding him of fish scales.

Unconsciously, his hand drifted to his back pocket where a delicate piece of gold, welded into the shape of a flower rested. Tonight, he would apply everything that he learned from his family and use it to summon a heroic spirit to win the Holy Grail War.

He'll bring back his family and have his revenge on the military commander who executed them, what could be wrong with that?

Walking away from the grave, Chung could not shake the memory of his family's bloody execution and the cold amber eyes that were so callous, like those people were worthless beings of no value.

_Soon… soon… Everything will be right again._

* * *

The Haans were one of the oldest families, being older than the Siegharts and the Iotas, but younger than the Baskervilles. To them, the Holy Grail War was an opportunity to show off their immense power and gain unparalleled glory and prestige. For even though they were one of the founding families of the Grail War, their darkest shame was the fact that they haven't been able to snag a victory after the first one, which they had won with flawless grace.

Not to mention, their magical strength had deteriorated considerably and they were now among the weakest of the Four Dukedoms. So imagine the elation Mr. and Mrs. Haan must have felt when their youngest child Ara had been borne with immense potential! And what a ray of hope it had been, especially since their first child was a failure in their eyes!

Alas, all did not go according to plan, as the eldest; Aren was a devout, mild-mannered, and assiduous adolescent. The child they had banked all their hopes on -Ara- was in stark contrast, lazy, arrogant, rude, and had a brother complex which freaked the whole family out. However Ara was incredibly talented, and though she did not apply herself, her strength was vastly superior to Arens' and as a result she was the one chosen to fight the war for the Haans.

That was a cause for immense worry, so the Haans had appointed Aren to be Ara's guardian and to make sure she did everything correctly and did not butcher this opportunity, for to the Haans, this would be one of their last opportunities to reclaim a small fraction of their former glory. To the Haans this was a life or death matter, to Ara, this was a mere trifle which detracted her from her moe games and to Aren this was going to be a source of a major headache.

"Are you sure the summoning ritual is this simple?" Ara enquired dubiously as she cocked a leery eyebrow at the elaborate crimson circle that Aren had drawn on the ground for her. Aren nodded briskly in response to his younger sister's enquiry and tucked an ebon strand of hair behind his ear. "Actually it is, the summoning ritual doesn't need an elaborate evocation. The Grail does the work for us." He replied in a reassuring tone and drew his lips into a thin, but warm smile.

Ara huffed petulantly and adjusted the posh black fur collar of her outfit.

"Oh really?" She drawled lazily and let her gaze drift from side to side. Hearing the disinterest in his sister's voice made Aren deadpan and with slow deliberate movements, he made a big show of face palming himself.

"This was mentioned in your lessons Ara… but then again you were so busy playing your games on your laptop it's no wonder you didn't comprehend _anything_." He retorted dryly.

Ara's eyebrows came crashing down above her amber eyes as they narrowed into little slits.

"HEY! Don't hate!" She cried and slammed her foot down on the ground with a resounding thud. Aren shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Well! They're just wrong! I mean seriously, dating your older brother?" He snapped back, sounding rather indignant. Ara huffed and rapidly shook her head back and forth.

"I like them for the cute characters…" She stated flatly. Aren sigh and shot a painful look towards his left.

"It's so… WRONG. Something that's so wrong gets such cute artwork…" He mumbled under his breath and shuddered.

Ara ignored him and picked the gleaming white helmet off the table she had been standing next to.

"So what do I do with this hunk of junk?" She sighed tetchily and sauntered over to where Aren was standing with arms crossed.

"Set it in the middle of the magic circle. You _do _know the evocation, right?" He enquired suspiciously and pursed his lips into a thin line. Ara snorted cantankerously and shot her brother a scathing glare.

"I know what to do… I'm _not _stupid." She snapped back defensively, placing extra emphasis on the word "not". Aren nodded and gave his sister a sarcasm-laden stare.

"I know you're not stupid, you're quite bright, but you don't apply yourself."

"Whatever…" Ara snipped and bent over to set the helmet down in the middle of the magic circle.

"And remember; don't say the extra lines unless you want a berserker-class servant."

"I don't _dear brother_." Ara hissed with extra scorn and gave Aren a derisive glare.

"Then don't say the extra lines."

"I WON'T! SHUT UP!" Ara screamed and chucked a swirling ball of golden-hued dark energy at Aren, forcing him to leap to the side in order to avoid the attack. With wide eyes, he watched the revolving ball of darkness slam into the wall and explode, blasting a large hole in it.

"Let's just start the summoning ritual already."

* * *

_Let silver and steel be the essence.  
Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation.  
Let red be the color I pay tribute to.  
Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall.  
Let the four cardinal gates close.  
Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate."  
"Let it be filled. Again. Again. Again. Again.  
Let it be filled fivefold for every turn, simply breaking asunder with every filling_

* * *

_**But let chaos cloud thine eyes**_

_**Thou, who art trapped in a cage of madness**_

_**And I, who doth hold thy chains!**_

* * *

"Oh my El…" Ara gasped as the light being emitted from the magic circle in a rapid fire stream faded. Where the relic had been placed was a young man with wide sky blue eyes and spiky blonde hair with russet tipped shocks that stood up like dog ears. His mouth was set into a thin line and he was clad in elaborate armor that was blindingly white. Never dropping his stoic expression, he surveyed the room and turned towards the stunned siblings.

Finally, he allowed a thin smile to crack his features.

"You… are you my master?" He enquired, addressing the question towards Ara, who had chanted the incantation.

* * *

"…" Chung stared stoically at the servant he had summoned. She was a young woman with luxurious locks of ebon and wide golden eyes. Her clothing was made out of high-grade silk of orange and creamy white. Slowly, she turned around, surveying the room before resting her gaze on Chung.

"You… are you my master?"

* * *

"We won…" Apple said breathlessly as she gaped at the servant Eve had just summoned. Eve just stared blankly at the both of them, alternating her gaze and apparently detached and indifferent towards the servant she had just summoned.

The servant emitted and icy and dangerous aura, with cold amber eyes and a haughty expression, she glared disdainfully at the two women in the room. Her armored black dress glinted in the flickering torchlight of the basement as she shifted her weight around.

"Are you supposed to be my supposed 'master' mongrel?" She scoffed, directing her scornful enquiry towards Eve.

* * *

All Raven could do was just stare angrily at the servant he had summoned, his mind now reduced to a roiling sea of conflicting emotions. Sure, he was exuberant about the fact that he had managed to summon a servant, and from the look on her face, one that knew her business; however did she have to look so much like Seris?

She was a mature-looking Elven woman whose posture exuded grace, confidence, and danger. Her face was set into a hard expression, but her verdant eyes were the precise shade of Seris's and her silky blonde hair was so much like Raven's deceased beloved that it was unnerving. She was clad in a scant outfit with a flowing black cape embroidered with glinting threads of platinum. With dignified grace, she raised her head upwards and looked at the stunned war vet out of the corners of her eye.

"Are you my master?"

* * *

Rena had a problem. A REALLY big one. From all the lore she had read on the Holy Grail War, servants were to ask if the summoner was their master. Yet it wasn't happening. All that came from the man was a low guttural growl, to make matters worse, Rena could not tell his facial expression accurately thanks to that stupid black eyepiece/ visor thingy he was donning. It made it impossible to tell if he was indifferent towards her or ready to kill her.

Her servant was a handsome man with a well-built physique and donning a somewhat punkish-goth outfit with a silver cross dangling from his neck. He certainly did not fit the typical description of a berserker-class servant, which in all the dusty books Rena had spent hours sifting through were filled with bestial pictures of the servants from previous Grail Wars. This handsome man certainly did not fit any of those pictures.

With a frustrated sigh, Rena collapsed to her knees and threw her arms up into the air. Why? Why did she come so far only to fail now?! Watching her with his mouth turned down into a puzzled frown was Berserker himself.

Rena had went through the pain and risks of summoning a berserker class servant so she could win the Grail War, but now there were all these complications.

One thing for sure… this was going to be work.

* * *

No words were said, no sound was made… all that existed was a deafening silence. Looking at his newfound mistress with icy indifference was a young man, really no more than a teenager with harsh crimson eyes and unruly cerise hair that was streaked with a shot of black. At long last, he addressed the vital question towards the violet-eyed Aisha.

"Are you my master?"

* * *

Standing in the circle was a violet-haired woman clad in a white schoolgirl's uniform. Poking her head out of the leather-bound book she had been engrossed in, she gave Elsword a polite look and muttered an incomprehensible phrase. With a flash of incandescent light, the book disappeared, leaving the purplenette's hands free to grab at her skirt so she could do a curtsy.

"Are you my master?"

* * *

Crimson eyes met crimson eyes as Elesis stared down the servant she had summoned. She was a young woman around her age clad in red armor with thick red hair done up into a braided bun. For all their similarities in appearances, the two crimsonettes radiated very different auras. Elesis radiated an icy aura that was brittle and cold, while her servant radiated a charismatic aura of dignity and caring. A terse silence filled the room before at long last; the crimson-haired servant spoke.

"Are you my master?"

* * *

**O.M.G! THAT CHAPTER WAS SOOO RIDICULOUSLY LOOONG! O.M.G. And even then… it WAS STILL CRAP! HUUUUUAAAAAAH! I will admit, I got really, REALLY lazy towards the end and I definitely skimped on some characters in comparison to others… eh heh… also… Servant stats have been modified due to them being A) Too balanced and rounded out and B) The arrival of GM resulted in Saber getting a nerf to her stats. Oh I plan on including GM, but in a different way than just simply ignoring the fact she started off as a SbK. So yeah… horrible, HORRIBLE way to start off what is supposed to be an epic story but eh… it will get better as I improve. Elesis is fairly easy to change into a bH since my next update won't be for quite a while… oh yeah… BTW, I changed my pen name to Ephemeral Sanity… Just call me Effy though :3 Here are my reviewer replies!**

* * *

**HikoNoHana- I'm sorry… Eve and Infi did not make it… yes… Chara is an awesome pairing and Ignis will be throwing trucks a lot XDD Technically… Eve and Rena are the pedos no matter how you slice it XD**

**AishaElemental Master- Elsword and Lementa here you go! :DD**

**Rayvel- feel free to keep the horrible puns coming! They work! I took your advice and modified some of the servant stats, thanks for that btw… Saber and Infi did look TOO similar… so thanks for pointing it out for me. :3 **

**WhatToDoToday- That is perfectly legit except they're both servants… Yeah, I like CN x IS but unfortunately, it would get ridiculously complicated… especially when you consider the fact Nemesis is…**

**FOOD- I'm sorry… I have nothing against Rena x Chung but nobody voted for it. I think it's a cute pairing though :3**

**Rosamanelle- You are not retarded… You are bloody brilliant but I wouldn't scream so loudly yet… especially when you consider the horribad and uneven quality of this chapter… it just took me so long I got lazy and started to skimp… and then it derailed into a major train wreck… but it's nice to see that you're excited… and please don't say it's perfection… it's the next Titanic O3O **


	2. The First Attack

**To The Beginning**

**The First Attack**

* * *

"_The punishment, eternally scarring memories  
Embrace hope unforgotten and fall into the azure,  
Seek the light which slumbers at the end of the eternal darkness"_

_- Sword of Doom_

* * *

Sighing, Elsword looked out the window, his sister's servant- Saber- standing right next to him, a concerned expression on her face. "Are you feeling well?" She enquired and fiddled with one of the looping crimson braids of her meticulously done coiffure. The redhead just gave the crimsonette a deadpan expression before dragging himself over to the couch and flopping down limply on it. "I'm fine Saber… Where's Caster?" He mumbled into a plush embroidered pillow. Saber sighed and rested her elbow on the windowsill.

"She's up in the library, reading books and whatnot. Speaking of her, I'm surprised you weren't able to figure out her identity." The crimsonette said lightly, trying to lift the downtrodden mood in the living room. "It's actually not that surprising considering that the moron never bothers to pay attention in any of his lessons." Another crimsonette entered the room. She would've looked almost identical to Saber, except her facial features were sharper and her sinuous hair was cascading down her back and wildly spiked at the top. She was also donning an outfit that in Saber's most humble opinion, as she put it, was immodest and quite provocative. Even know, the saber-class servant was eyeing her mistress's black midriff vest with a reproachful gaze.

"What?" Elesis snapped dourly and leaned lazily against the white-washed walls. Saber sighed, struggling hard to contain her irritation at Elesis's bellicose and virulent attitude. "You really need to be nicer to your younger brother, he's your family. Also, I don't recall you guessing my identity either." Saber muttered and adjusted her weight, the satiny red skirt of her dress swaying softly to the side. Elesis snorted derisively and rolled her eyes. "What are you? My mom? Also, I for your information DID read ALL the books containing information from the time period you claim to be from. I didn't see you at all, and I don't recall you telling me your name." She retorted acerbically and adjusted one of the oversized cerise colored belts she was donning.

Saber just smiled wryly and shrugged her shoulders. "You already know it." She replied softly. Elesis's left eyebrow shot up, giving her a befuddled appearance. Elsword snickered softly upon seeing it, for that was an expression he had only seen thrice in his life. Catching Elsword's gaze, the acerbic crimsonette narrowed her eyes and gave the redhead a fearsome glare. "Do you want to cause a problem here? I'll be more than willing to test out my fire magic on you." She snarled and held her black-gloved hand up, the air around it shimmering with a faint heat haze.

"Elesis!" Saber spoke up, her mouth opened in a little "o" of indignation. Elesis huffed and shot an irritated look at Saber. "Please go join Caster in the library while I sort out a couple of issues with my moronic little brother." The crimsonette servant clenched her teeth and gave her mistress a stiff bow. "I shall leave now." She managed to spit in between her teeth and stalked out of the living room, each of her movements stiff and angry.

"Masters should respect their servants, but she doesn't even give a damn. She doesn't even care for her younger brother." She muttered under her breath and headed to the library where Caster was.

* * *

Books, books, and even more books. Thick, copious tomes bound in leather and inscribed with arcane symbols from obscure civilizations long forgotten. Thin volumes with luridly colored pictures and flowing writing done in an ornate font. Everything ranging from cursed spell books to dry historical memoirs could be found in the Sieghart family's enormous library. To some people, this endless labyrinth of knowledge was a living hell. To Caster, it was like she had died again and went straight to heaven.

There, smack dab next to the window, lounging lazily on a fat leather recliner was the diminutive purplenette herself. Right next to the chair were a dozen books, each of them the width of her head. Bright sunlight streamed through the window, playing on the surface of the servant's golden clasp, making it glint.

So lost was she in the adventures of the Iron Knight, that she was not aware of Saber when the crimsonette came storming in there looking rather ruffled. Nor did she succeed in taking note of the loud bangs that were coming from the living room on the floor below. Seeing the purplenette's state of obliviousness, Saber sighed loudly and marched over to where Caster was, placing her hand over the page that the caster-class servant was reading. "Hey!" Caster yelped and gave the crimsonette an indignant stare. Saber smiled bemusedly and perched on the mahogany coffee table next to the recliner.

"I was positively certain that you would at least notice the explosions… Lementa." Saber mused, addressing the purplenette by her real name. Caster smirked and placed a leather-gloved hand over the golden clasp that studded the oversize magenta bow of her snowy-white uniform. "Well… At least _someone _had the brains to figure it out." Lementa mused and laid back in the recliner. Saber smiled humorlessly and fidgeted around. "In defense of my master, she did figure it out the instant she saw that book you're always carrying. Principia Rectum, is it not? That book is famous among those that are familiar with mage lore." Lementa nodded approvingly at the crimsonette,"Well… considering that you claim to be from seven hundred years ago, it's no surprise that you'd get it. Honestly though, my master is an idiot… I even said what this book was called and showed it to him and you know what he said next…"

Saber made a soft little snort, earning a quizzical eyebrow from the Caster. "Stop bullying the poor kid, he already gets bullied enough by his older sister." Right on cue, a resounding boom! reverberated throughout the house, causing a couple of the more haphazardly placed books in Lementa's pile to tumble off. Saber bit her bottom lip, forming a worried expression. "Do you think… that… uh… we should, like uhm…? Go downstairs and prevent Elesis from murdering her younger brother?" The crimsonette trailed anxiously and tugged distractedly on her long side bangs. Lementa sighed and resumed her reading, totally unperturbed by the random mini quakes that were shaking the library. A startled shout rang from downstairs followed by another raucous bang!

"Naah… don't worry about it. The Geass that those two signed prevents them from making us attack each other and also forbids them from severely injuring one another… At least until the other servants are disposed of. Besides, Elsword would kind of deserve a couple of bruises. Do you know what that idiot is doing right now?" Caster enquired and briefly looked up from her reading. Saber stared blankly at her. "What?" Lementa snorted and flipped a page in her book. "I looked through his email and text records last night while he was sleeping. Did you know it is possible for a human of his intelligence level to manage three girlfriends?"

Saber shrugged. "Not too surprising, I mean men in the past did like have a dozen wives and whatnot." She replied. Lementa blew her obliquely slanted bangs away from her eye. "Yeah, but it's not considered acceptable by today's standards." Saber heaved another wispy little sigh and rubbed her forehead. "I want to know what you were doing snooping around in your master's private information in the first place." The crimsonette enquired. Not surprisingly, her enquiry was met with awkward silence.

"You know… How come I thoroughly researched your time period, but none of the female figures match your description or anything? I mean there was a redhead, but she was much more mature looking and she had boobs." Lementa enquired, deliberately changing the topic. Saber smiled roguishly and stood up.

"You aren't one to criticize about titillation. Anyways, me as you know her comes from the Great Blank –a period in which history itself was erased-. Besides, you already know my name."

* * *

"I feel like such a pedo." Raven griped into the mouthpiece as he adjusted the settings on his spy camera. "Why are we spying on a little girl anyway?" He continued as he watched a lithe silver-haired girl with emotionless eyes of amber eat a water crest sandwich. A contemptuous snort was heard from the earpiece Raven donned. "Remember, that 'little' girl is a member of the Iota family and she is most definitely a competitor of the Grail War, and if her family lineage is anything to judge by, she is exceedingly powerful." A cool female's voice explained a note of boredom clearly audible in her tone.

Raven grimaced and fiddled with a knob on the camera, zooming in. Why that girl certainly liked to flaunt her wealth, her sandwiches were crust-free! Raven thought, random thoughts overtaking his mind in the wake of a state between boredom and total occupation. In all the experiences that Raven had with people, only the wealthy folks would eat crust-free water crest sandwiches. "How do you know all of this for sure Assassin?" Assassin, who was perched on the branch of an elderly Alder near the oak that Raven was perched on, chortled softly.

"It's called Social Media Raven. Oh, and the White Pages are a brilliant help as well, makes my job a lot easier. Back in the old days I would actually have to go around and ask questions, made my job a whole lot riskier per say." She mused airily, her verdant eyes gleaming with an unbridled mischief. "Boy, it does take some of the adrenaline out of it, but fat lot of good an adrenaline rush does you if you get killed." Something about the lightness in Assassin's voice made Raven's stomach do a flip.

"You actually find this _fun_?" The war vet snarled the disgust clearly audible in his voice. Assassin drew her lips into a thin line and brushed a strand of greenish-yellow out of her eyes. "I am assassin, it was my duty in my life and it was my sole means of survival. I made the best out of my situation. Besides, in the breakdown you had last night, I remember you babbling your head off about being forced to serve as an executioner by decree of the Velderian Military. Seems like Velder no matter what era is composed of imperialistic jerks." She retorted and quickly scanned the area. "We need to get some new spy gear, this junk is outdated by at least five years."

A low guttural growl escaped from Raven's throat and he opened his mouth to give a nasty retory. "Why I-" A sharp sibilant noise from Assassin cut him off. "Quiet! Someone else is coming!" She snapped. Raven scowled acrimoniously and resumed his duties of spying. A silver-haired girl whose eyes were also amber hued entered the room. However, she was infinitely times more dangerous and commanding than the other silverette in the room. She donned an armored black dress and her composure radiated an aura of arrogance and deadly grace. Her facial features were sharper, comparable to a wild cats' and accompanying her were two drones –one snowy white and one stygian black- that hovered, their beady little eyes glowing a sulfuric yellow.

"She wasn't on Facebook." Assassin mumbled and narrowed her eyes. Mumbling a phrase that was inaudible gibberish to Raven, she summoned one of her Noble Phantasms in a shimmering wave of dark olive light –Demeter, the bow of nature- An anti-unit Noble Phantasm that could conjure traps and shoot arrows imbued with earth-affinity energy. It wasn't her favorite Noble Phantasm, that honor belonged to Erendil, but it was by far the most practical Noble Phantasm she possessed in terms of assassination.

"Get ready, I'm going to fire." Assassin warned and knocked a twig-like arrow that shimmered with a poisonous green light. Raven's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, giving the normally stoic-faced war vet an idiotic aura. "Do you actually think you can hit a little girl through the window?" He whispered fiercely. Assassin smirked and flipped her hair with her free hand. "I was once the top leader in my group. I struck a Spriggan in its weak point from two miles away; I think I am capable of hitting a human from a quarter of a mile away through a window. Besides, that other woman, presumably her servant won't know what hit her until it's too late." She assured with a smug confidence. Raven drew his lips into a thin line. "Well… if you're sure…" He trailed dubiously and fiddled some more with his spy gear.

"I'm sure." Assassin replied flatly and lifted her bow up, a faint red mist swirling around it. "Ready… aim… FIRE!" She shouted and let the arrow fly, the red mist surrounding it, thickening and forming a needlepoint ray of concentrated energy. It streaked towards the window, shattering the glass. A startled yelp rang out from the house, then a _bzzt _noise.

Raven could only watch as several deafening _bangs _shattered the air, followed by several streaks of electric blue which slammed into the tree Assassin was perched on, decimating it in a flash of blinding incandescent light.

"ASSASSIN!"

* * *

**Well… this chapter was considerably shorter than the last, but I think it's better that way. Last chapter was a hard lesson in my limits. Q.Q Speaking of which, I was surprised my terrible, TERRIBLE last chapter received so many reviews. Eh heh =w=; But… so how was the cliffhanger? I decided to test out my powers of trolling here XD *Shot* Elesis is such a bitch of an older sister. Raven is Mr. Grumpy Pants XDDD. I also posted a new poll on my profile page, it asks which of the ideas do you think I should do for an up and coming Elesis x Aren FF. BUT… I'm going to write at least 3 more chapters for YnT, EA, and this fic before starting it up. Also, a warning in advance, this story does diverge from the Fate/ zero plot in several areas, but you will notice SEVERAL similarities as the story continues! But here's the replies to my over-generous and kind reviewers! :,D**

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**Tsurara Oikawa-chan- Well… I really didn't make RS x VP an option. Master and servant pairing only XDD And RS x VP is actually FAR more popular than IS x VP in the Art community, another place where I noticed the discordancy between the FF community and the art community. School… it sucked the soul out of me, and I didn't even know I had a soul to suck! XDDD Yup! You got the song right! :DD**

**Desuchi- Godly sushi sighting! *Glomps* I think Effy is a cute name, but you have the right to call me BB-chan. So good to see you here! :DD And well… here's an update! :3**

**Awakened Hades- I'm glad you love this story! :DD**

**HanaEve- I won't hold you to any candles… Everyone has their own preferences such as I DESPISE RS x VP since it conflicts heavily with IS x VP XD *Shot* Everyone is free to express their opinion (So long as they aren't ass-faced trolls)**

**FANG ee- The stats had to be rebalanced a bit XDD Crossover… you aren't the first (Or last) person to remark on it… but I saw some other fics that bore startling resemblance to their inspiration source, so I thought it would be ok, and this will diverge in a few areas as well. My writing, especially for the last chapter was not seamless in my opinion. In fact, it was some of my worst work XD**

**Sugarlatte- Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Don't worry, I'm continuing! Me? Funny? Ah hah hah… good one XD**

**Ravyel- Haylo Ravy! *Shot* Ending well? Highly improbable. Elesis/ Saber made it because Aren/ Saber was voted on and Aren is NOT competing in the war, so I'm going to have to throw a screwball to make Aren/ Saber work. Aren isn't exactly Kotomine… he's more akin to a certain lady… *Shot* Yeah, I know this was lackluster… hopefully this chapter was of better quality even if it is shorter. **

**Rosamanelle- You are NOT stupid! *Glomps* You're such an angel… has anyone told you that? :3 YES! ALL ABOARD THE SABER X AREN SHIP! :DDD *Raises flag* But first… we'll see some craziness from Elesis such as… Ok, I'm feeling the strong urge to make Aren the Kenny of this story… AGAIN**

**HikaNoHana- It will only get more intense as the story goes on… I promise you! Yeah, only Eve and Nemesis friendship! And YES for Chara! WOOHOO! CHARA FOREVAH! :DDD I have a pretty dark sense of humor/ fun to, so no worries :3 Well… if you consider physically… Urk… long life-spans make things complicated, eh?**

**SakuraLina- WOAH! THAT WAS A LONG REVIEW! YAAAY! *Dances around* Me like RubyCrucifix? Please don't insult her QwQ. This a masterpiece? My last chapter was lackluster, WAY lackluster in comparison to all my other works. Besides… my story barely surpasses yours in reviews for 3 chapters… you have 22 for 2, I have 26 for 3. You're definitely higher in terms of reviews… and yes… I'm that OCD that I actually average the reviews QwQ I just put a quote in there to make it sound cool XDD I checked, the line is there… or else I need to get my eyes checked OwO No..NO No lover relationship for the Eve/ Eve and Elesis/ Elesis team I promise you. It's Saber x Aren and Eve is just Nemesis's entertainment avenue. I made Nemesis similar to Gilgamesh deliberately, because while IS has several similarities to Gil, I think CN just has that royal and confident air, not to mention her weaponry is FAR more diverse. I just put it in the regular section because I was misled by other FF's with certain similarities to their inspiration source. Worse being a certain Persona 3 inspired FF (It even has Igor in it) XDD I decided to add it in the next chapter, especially unless it's REALLY embarrassing like an obvious type or formatting error, I tend to leave it be… unless it was terribad… I mean, last chapter was terribad but the length would make it a PAIN to edit… but still… thanks for the super long and lovely review Saku-sama! :3**


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